High nutritional risk using NUTRIC-score is associated with worse outcomes in COVID-19 critically ill patients

Abstract

Background: Nutritional risk has been associated with worse outcomes at the critical care unit. The aim of this study was to describe the asso- ciation between nutritional risk and length of stay, days on mechanical ventilation, and in-hospital mortality in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Methods: A retrospective cohort of ventilated, critically ill patients. We assessed nutrition risk at baseline using NUTRIC-score. Logistic and linear regression models were used to analyze the association between NUTRIC-score and clinical outcomes (days on mechanical ventilation, hospital length of stay, and in-hospital mortality). A survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: A total of 112 patients were included, 39.3% were overweight and 47.3% were obese. Based on NUTRIC-Score, 66% and 34% of patients were at high and low nutritional risk, respectively. High nutritional risk was associated with increased mortality risk (OR: 2.4, 95% CI, 1.06-5.47, p = 0.036) and higher 28-day mortality (HR: 2.05, 95% CI, 1.01-4.23, p = 0.04) in comparison with low risk. Conclusion: High nutritional risk is related to mortality in SARS-CoV-2 critically ill patients. Overweight and obesity are common in this sample. More studies are needed to elucidate the impact of nutritional therapy on infection course and outcomes.